The present invention relates to an entry station for receiving payment from a user and authorizing the operation of an automated service device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an entry station for use with a car wash that includes a semi-secure electronics cabinet for housing both the various operating components and the control unit for the entry station and a security vault for storing money received by the entry station.
Currently, most entry stations used with either an in-bay or tunnel car wash systems allow the car wash user to pay cash for the car wash services, charge the services on a credit card or enter a purchased authorization code to begin the car wash cycle. The entry station is typically positioned at the entrance to the car wash such that the user interacts with the entry station immediately before entering the car wash. Since the car wash user can pay cash for the car wash services at the entry station, the entry station must be able to make change and store the money received. In order to make change, the entry station must include a supply of bills or coins to return to the car wash user.
In currently available car wash stations, the supply of money received by the entry station is stored within the same cabinet that houses the electronic operating components, such as the computer controller, bill validator, credit card validator, etc. In this type of entry station, when a service technician opens the front panel to gain access to the electronic operating components, the service technician also has access to the stored money and to the bill dispensers contained within the cabinet. Therefore, a car wash owner is typically present when the service technician is working on the electronic operating components of the entry station to insure that theft does not occur.
Additionally, in current car wash entry station units, the entry station is able to store only a very limited supply of money. When the entry station is used with a very busy car wash, the car wash owner may need to empty the entry station multiple times in a single day. This requires the owner to shut down the wash for a few minutes each time the entry station is emptied.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an entry station that can store a larger number of bills and coins. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a car wash entry station that includes a separate electronics cabinet and security vault such that service technicians can have access to the electronics cabinet without being granted access to the security vault in which money is stored.
The present invention is an entry station for use with a car wash, although other uses of the entry station are contemplated. The entry station includes a semi-secure electronics cabinet and a security vault. The electronics cabinet is preferably mounted to the security vault and includes a front access door secured by at least one lock member. The front access door of the electronics cabinet includes a display and code entry unit and various electronic operating components used to provide the required functionality for the car wash entry station. When the electronics cabinet is open, the electronic operating components and the computer control unit for the entry station are accessible and can be worked upon by a service technician.
After the door for the electronics cabinet is open, the vault door for the security vault can be accessed. The vault door of the security vault includes a combination lock that prevents unauthorized access to the security vault. Preferably, the security vault is a reinforced ATM-quality vault that provides increased security for money stored with in the security vault.
The security vault includes a removable money bin generally aligned with both a bill chute and a coin chute extending through the top wall of the security vault. The bill and coin chutes direct money received by the entry station from the car wash user into the security vault. Preferably, the money bin is sized to store a relatively large number of bills and coins such that the money bin does not need to be frequently emptied.
The security vault also includes a bill dispenser for dispensing change to the car wash user after payment for a car wash package. The bill dispenser is mounted within the security vault and dispenses bills through a bill slot formed in the vault door of the security vault. Thus, the supply of bills dispensed by the bill dispenser is safely secured within the security vault and the dispenser operates only when the security vault door is closed. Alternatively, a coin dispenser can also be included within the security vault and operated to dispense coins through a coin slot formed in the vault door of the vault.
As described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an entry station having both a locked electronics cabinet and a security vault. The electronics cabinet includes an access door secured by a lock member. Once the door to the electronics cabinet is open, access is granted to the electronic operating components and control unit of the entry station. However, entry into the electronics cabinet does not provide access to money collected by the entry station or money supply for the bill/coin dispensers. The security vault door must be opened after the door to the electronics cabinet has been opened. The combination lock of the security vault requires additional information that is not supplied to the service technician working on the electronic components. Therefore, access can be granted to the locked electronics cabinet without granting access to the security vault.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.